Graduate Exhibition

The Graduate Schools hosts its annual Graduate Exhibition in the spring semester. Established in 1986, the Graduate Exhibition celebrates research and creative scholarship, in all its aspects, as an essential and exciting part of graduate education at Penn State. You are invited to share your research and creative endeavors with a general audience and take advantage of an opportunity for professional development by challenging yourself to present your work in clear and comprehensible terms to people outside your field. As an exhibitor, you have the option to register for one of the following categories: poster, design, visual arts, video, or music performances. Your college may also have a requirement for you to participate in the Graduate Exhibition, so please check with your program before registering. If you are not presenting, you can learn more about the exciting research, art, and design activities of your fellow graduate students by attending the exhibition events or even serving as a judge.

Visit the Graduate Exhibition website for more information

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships Program (NSF GRFP) Information Sessions

The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend and a cost of education allowance to the institution.

During these sessions, you will learn how to apply for funding offered by the National Science Foundation to support research-based graduate study in select STEM fields.

For more information or to register, please visit the Graduate Research Fellowship Program website.

Grant Writing Workshops

The Graduate School offers three grant writing workshops in the fall semester. Topics on grant writing include Introduction to Grant Writing, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Health. Each workshop includes a presentation on the topic by an expert in the field, with the opportunity to ask questions.

More details about the workshop will be posted on the Graduate School event website in the near future.

Graduate Writing Center Workshops

The Graduate School’s Graduate Writing Center consultants offer several workshops in the fall and spring semesters co-led by instructors from the sciences and the humanities. In addition to the workshops, you are also invited to schedule a one-on-one consultation. You can also participate in the International Write-In at the end of the spring semester.

For more information, visit the Graduate Writing Center website.

Penn State Career Services:

Penn State Career Services provides a variety of resources and services that are designed to support you in successfully planning for your future. Penn State Career Services offers workshops, personalized support, numerous online resources for all stages of the career search process, and avenues for potential employment such as career fairs and Nittany Lion Careers. Visit the Penn State Career Services website to learn more. 

Graduate Programs with Extended Optional Practical Training Eligibility

Certain students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). Click the links below to see which programs are eligible for extended OPT. 

University Park

Agricultural Sciences

Smeal College of Business

Education

Earth and Mineral Science

Engineering

Health and Human Development

Intercollege

Information Sciences and Technology

Liberal Arts

Eberly College of Science

College of Medicine, Hershey

College of Medicine

The Capital College, Harrisburg

Capital College

Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Malvern

Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies

The Behrend College, Erie

The Behrend College